NASA's Psyche spacecraft buzzing Mars on its way to a rare metal asteroid
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- NASA's Psyche spacecraft will perform a close flyby of Mars at 12,333 mph on Friday, passing within 2,800 miles to gain a gravity boost on its way to a rare metal asteroid in 2029.
- During the Mars pass, all of Psyche's science instruments will be active, capturing thousands of images and allowing NASA's Mars rovers and orbiters to conduct simultaneous observations for comparison.
- Psyche targets a unique metal-rich asteroid believed to be the exposed nickel-iron core of a proto-planet, offering insights into the early solar system and the origins of life on Earth.
- Launched in 2023, the spacecraft is midway through a six-year journey to the asteroid belt, where it will orbit the Psyche asteroid for two years starting in 2029, powered by solar electric propulsion using xenon thrusters.